Christmas Pasta

Several years ago, I was watching the Food Network and Rachael Rae made a dish called "Christmas Pasta".  We have adapted it to the likes of our family.

Christmas Pasta
2 pounds hamburger
1 chopped onion
2 cups chopped pancetta
2 cups chopped salami
Spaghetti Sauce (gravy), the amount depends on what you like
1 cup parmesan
2 pounds penne, cooked
chopped roasted red bell pepper
chopped black olives
chopped artichoke hearts (marinated)
slices soft mozzarella cheese

Cook hamburger and onion together.  Add other meats, gravy, and parmesan cheese.  Simmer for about 30 minutes.  Add cooked penne and mix together.  Stir in peppers, olives, and artichoke hearts.

Serve with mozzarella cheese and extra parmesan.

Chicken Spinach Burgers

A few weeks ago I saw a recipe on TV for Chicken Spinach Burgers.  I'm not a huge burger fan, but my family really likes them so I figured I'd give'em a try.  I am a huge chicken fan so that was a point in my favor.  I almost followed the recipe,lol.  I didn't use fresh garlic because I was being lazy.  I used garlic powder instead and it was fine.  The final result was really good.  We've probably made this recipe 3 times already.  It's that good.

Meat Loaf

Meat loaf is one of those meals that everyone has made at one time or another.  I really like it so I make it often.  What I've discovered from talking to others lately is that not every thinks it is an easy meal to prepare.  This recipe is very simple and has not failed me yet.


MEAT LOAF
2 pounds lean ground beef
1 cup dry oatmeal
1 cup milk (approximately)
2 eggs
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper


In a large mixing bowl, pour milk over dry oatmeal until covered.  Let the oatmeal/milk mixture sit until the oatmeal has soaked up the milk (about 10 minutes).
To this mixture, add ground beef, eggs, and spices.  With your hands mix all the ingredients together until thoroughly mixed.  Pat into two loaf pans or one 9x13" baking dish.  Bake @350* for about 45 minutes or until the thermometer reaches 170*
About 15 minutes before the end of the baking time, brush on ketchup or bbq sauce, if desired.

Sorry the picture is so blurry.

Stuffed Meatballs

Here is a variation on your standard meatball.

STUFFED MEATBALLS
1 lb ground beef
1 lb bulk Italian sausage
2 eggs
1/2-3/4 C. dry bread crumbs
1 t. garlic powder
1 t. onion powder
5 (about) cheese sticks---I used mozzarella

Mix meats, eggs, and spices.  Stir in bread crumbs until mixture holds together well.  Form into small meatballs, leaving a little meat unformed.  Cut cheese sticks into 1 inch pieces.  Put one piece of cheese into each meatball and reform into a ball, adding a little more meat if necessary.  Cook at 350* for about 30 minutes.

Hamburger Soup

One day when we had thawed hamburger that had to be used, we came up with this recipe for Hamburger Soup.  It's so incredibly simple that every time I make it I feel like I've forgotten something.  It takes about 5-10 minutes to put together and then it cooks for about 20 minutes.  A genuine 30 minute meal.  Rachael Rae would be jealous.

HAMBURGER SOUP
1 pound hamburger
1 small onion, diced
1 small package frozen mixed vegetables
2 cartons beef stock
3 medium cans tomato sauce
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
salt & pepper
8 oz Acini di pepe pasta

Brown hamburger and onion together.  Drain grease if necessary.  Add veggies, stock, tomato sauce, beans, salt and pepper.  Cook until veggies are almost done.  Add pasta and cook until tender.  Serve Italian style with grated Parmesan cheese or Mexican style with cilantro and sour cream.

Eggplant Parmesan

Eggplant parmesan is something that hubby usually chooses for his birthday dinner.  This year he surprised me and chose cheese ravioli instead so, I made the eggplant parmesan for FIL's birthday instead.

EGGPLANT PARMESAN
2 large eggplants, peeled and thinly sliced
2 cups flour
4 cups bread crumbs
4 eggs mixed with milk
Gravy
Parmesan cheese
Mozzerella cheese

Bread eggplant slices by dipping in flour, then egg mixture, then bread crumbs.  Fry in hot oil until golden and crispy on the outside.  Drain on paper towels.  Layer in a 9x13 pan.  Eggplant, gravy, parmesan, mozzerella, repeat until out of ingredients. Bake @ 350* for about an hour.  You may need to cover with foil the last 15 minutes to keep from over-browning.   Serve with pasta.

BBQ Pizza

We really like homemade pizza.  We do occasionally eat pizza out, but we find ourselves critiquing the food and comparing it to homemade.  This is one recipe we really enjoy.

BBQ Chicken Pizza

Homemade or store-bought dough

BBQ Sauce

Chicken breast, cooked and cut in small pieces

Mozzerella Cheese

Cheddar Cheese

French Fried onions

Spread dough on oiled pizza pan as thin as  you like it.  Spread on barbeque sauce.  Sprinkle chicken over sauce.  Mix cheeses and sprinkle on pizza.  Bake @ 350* about 15 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and crust is lightly browned.   Sprinkle on the french fried onions.  Slice and serve.

We really like homemade pizza.  We do occasionally eat pizza out, but we find ourselves critiquing the food and comparing it to homemade.  This is one recipe we really enjoy.

BBQ Chicken Pizza

Homemade or store-bought dough
BBQ Sauce
Chicken breast, cooked and cut in small pieces
Mozzerella Cheese
Cheddar Cheese
French Fried onions

Spread dough on oiled pizza pan as thin as  you like it.  Spread on barbeque sauce.  Sprinkle chicken over sauce.  Mix cheeses and sprinkle on pizza.  Bake @ 350* about 15 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and crust is lightly browned.   Sprinkle on the french fried onions.  Slice and serve.

Egg Rolls with Sweet & Sour Sauce

EGG ROLLS
2 packages egg roll wrappers
1/2 head of cabbage
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 carrots
bean sprouts
2 T. soy sauce
Cook chicken in water until cooked all the way through, or use leftover chicken.  In a food processor, shred cabbage, carrots, bean sprouts, and chicken.  Add soy sauce.
Place egg roll wrappers point up.  Put about two tablespoons cabbage filling into the center of the wrapper.  Bring up the bottom, fold in the sides, then moisten the edges with milk.  Roll the rest of the way closed.  Do this with all the wrappers.
Fry in 375* oil until golden in color and crispy.  Serve with sweet and sour sauce.

SWEET & SOUR SAUCE
4 T.  cornstarch
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 T. soy sauce
water
Mix cornstarch and brown sugar with a whisk until lump free.  Add vinegar and soy sauce.  Heat to a boil.  If the mixture is too thick, thin out with water.

Parmesan Chicken

Last night we tried a new recipe for Parmesan Chicken.  It was a big hit!

PARMESAN CHICKEN
Mix together:
1 stick butter, melted
2 T. dijon mustard
1 T. worcester sauce

In another dish mix together:

1 Cup bread crumbs

1/2 Cup parmesan cheese

1/2 t. salt

Dip boneless, skinless chicken breasts into butter mixture first, then coat with bread crumb mixture.  Lay chicken, not touching, in a 9x13 ungreased baking pan.  Bake @ 350* for about 1 hour or until juices run clear.

Ramen Noodle Casserole

This is a very simple dinner, especially when you are short on time and ingredients.

RAMEN NOODLE CASSEROLE
1 pound chicken breast, cut in bite size pieces
6 packages ramen noodles, chicken flavored (only use 2-3 of the flavor packages)
1 pound frozen mixed vegetables
2 cans cream of chicken soup
6 cups chicken broth
french fried onions

Cook chicken breast.  Add vegetables, soup, flavor packages, and broth.  Cook until vegetables are almost done.  Add ramen noodles and cover.  Cook for about ten minutes of until noodles are done.  Serve with french fried onions on top.

Pumpkin Stew

It wouldn't be fall if I didn't make pumpkin stew. Every October or November we go and either pick or buy a big pumpkin with the intention of making pumpkin stew. This year, we bought one so big I couldn't fit it in my oven, so I had to hack away at it until it was nearly half gone. Eventually, I got it to fit but not without a lot of elbow grease and a little blood (don't worry; I didn't get any on the food). Why can't I cut a pumpkin without slicing my knuckles in the process?

If you ever make this stew, cook it first in either a crock pot or in the oven. If you try to cook it from it's raw state in the pumpkin shell, the meat and potatoes will not cook before the pumpkin is a burned mess. I speak from a very ugly, stinky experience.

PUMPKIN STEW
1 large pumpkin, top cut off and insides cleaned out
1 pound stew meat
6 large potatoes, cut into bit size pieces
6 carrots, sliced
1/2 bag frozen lima beans
1/2 bag frozen peas
1/2 bag frozen corn
1 16 oz can tomato sauce
2 cups beef broth
2 T quick cooking tapioca (or flour)
salt and pepper
garlic powder
onion powder
Combine all ingredients except pumpkin in crock pot and season to your liking. About 2 hours before dinner time, transfer the stew from the crock pot to the pumpkin. Be sure the pumpkin is on a baking sheet. Bake at 350* for about 2 hours or until the pumpkin is tender.

Chicken Enchilada's

My Pioneer Woman Cookbook came several days ago. I've read it from cover to cover several times. I want to try everything in it but I must do a little at a time, right? So the first thing I tried was her enchilada recipe. Of course, I changed it a little bit. I think I am incapable of following a recipe to the letter, but I do my best. Her recipe called for ground beef, but I wanted chicken. Hers called for green onions on top, but my green onions were inedible. You really shouldn't keep them in the refrigerator for an indefinite period of time. They morph into something evil. Anyway, here's my version of the recipe.

Chicken Enchilada's
Sauce:
1/4 Cup oil
1/4 Cup flour
1 large can of enchilada sauce or red chili
2 cups chicken broth
salt and pepper
Heat oil,add flour and cook for about 2 minutes. Add enchilada sauce and chicken broth. Add salt and pepper. Heat until thickened.

Meat:
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cooked and shredded)
2 cans diced green chili
seasoned salt
1 small onion (cooked)

Extras:
shredded cheddar cheese
cilantro
black olives

Corn Tortillas:
fry in oil just until soft
drain on paper towels

Dip tortillas in sauce. Fill with meat mixture and roll up. Put in baking dish seam side down. When all of the tortillas are rolled, add a little more sauce over the top. Spread cheddar cheese over the top. Sprinkle cilantro on top. Bake for 30 minutes at 350* Serve with black olives if you have them.

Chicken Parmesan

Chicken Parmesan

Bread and fry:
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced
OR
Buy the already breaded, fully cooked chicken patties (not as healthy, but really easy)

Put chicken in a single layer in a 9x13 pan. Cover with spaghetti sauce and cheese. I used cheddar, mozzarella, and parmesan.
Bake @ 350* for 30 minutes or until heated through.

Serve with pasta and salad.

Beans and Cornbread

Yesterdays dinner was beans and cornbread. It sounds simple. It is simple. Beans and cornbread are about as down-home and country as it gets. I always serve it with a side of fried potatoes. Here's how I make it. I know it seems like an awful lot of beans but remember I'm feeding a very hungry family (including teenage boys) and I like to have enough left over for refried beans and chili later in the week.

The night before:
6 cups dried pinto beans
Cover with water, soak all night

In the morning:
Pour of old water; cover with fresh, cold water
Don't season yet, it will make the beans tough
Bring to a boil and simmer for several hours until soft. You can do this in a crock pot but the beans will not get thick.

About an hour before dinner time, cut up:
1 onion
1 bell pepper (any color)
6 slices pepper bacon (cooked)
Add to the beans and simmer. Season with garlic powder and salt (to taste).

For the cornbread:
1 Cup cornmeal
1/3 Cup flour
1/4 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
2-4 T. sugar (depending on how sweet you like it)
1 t. salt
1 egg
1 Cup buttermilk

Mix dry ingredients;add wet ingredients to the dry. Spread in a 8x8 square pan (buttered). Bake @ 350* for 20 - 30 minutes.
Enjoy!

Sense of Accomplishment

I'm tired. I'm really, really tired. But it's a good kind of tired. After several days of feeling like I had accomplished nothing by the end of the day, I finally feel like I got something done. Today I went grocery shopping, did school with T (except for spelling). Why is it that spelling always gets put on the back burner? Anyway, I made a huge batch of muffin mix, four quarts of cake mix, crepes for homemade manicotti, and I made the homemade manicotti. K made the gravy, salad, and a veggie. I'd like to take the credit for all of it, but if she reads this she might tell on me.

PIZZA NIGHT

Pizza night at our house is always interesting.  We all seem to want different kinds of pizza so we make quite a variety.  I think my favorite is the caprese pizza.  At least for now.  Who knows what next week will bring???  Well, maybe my favorite is the bbq.  I can't decide, but I am making myself hungry.  I wonder if there are any leftovers?

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Spaghetti and meatballs is the most basic of meals.  First you make the meatballs then simmer them in the gravy (some people call this spaghetti sauce).  Cook the pasta, put it all together and you have a feast.

Meatballs:

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef or mixture of ground meats

1 medium chopped onion

3 cloves minced garlic

1 egg

1 t. seasoned salt

1/4 Cup parmesan cheese

handful of breadcrumbs

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.  Mix well, but don't over-mix or you will have tough meatballs.  Shape into 1-2 inch balls.  Fry in a non-stick skillet until browned on all sides.

Add to the gravy and simmer for a few hours.

Gravy:

1 chopped onion

3 cloves minced garlic

2 large cans tomato puree

2 large cans tomato sauce

2 large cans crushed tomatoes

1 small can tomato paste

salt, to taste

dry red wine (optional)*

1-2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

3 Tablespoons fresh basil

1/2 Cup parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon sugar

Cook onion and garlic until soft.  Add all other ingredients and simmer for a few hours.

*If you don't use wine, thin the gravy a little bit with water.

To serve:  Cook one pound of spaghetti, add gravy, garnish with meatballs and parmesan cheese.

Rice Balls

Ingredients:

1 lb short grain rice (cooked)*

1/2 lb lean ground beef

1/2 package frozen peas

1 15 oz can tomato sauce

2 eggs

1/2 Cup parmesan

bread crumbs

salt & pepper

garlic powder

oil for frying

Cook ground beef thoroughly.  Add peas, tomato sauce, parmesan, and spices.  Simmer for a few minutes.  Remove from heat.

In a large bowl mix cooked rice and meat mixture together.  Add eggs.  Form into balls.  Roll in dry breadcrumbs.

Fry in hot oil until golden.  Serve with spagetti sauce.

*Note

It is very important to use short grain rice.  Long grain rice is not sticky enough to hold the rice balls together.  Arborio is best if you can find it.